Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Updated Jan. 30, 2017

In January 2017, an anti-BDS bill was introduced in Oklahoma's legislature. HB 1512 would prohibit the state from contracting with companies and entities that boycott Israel. It would also establish an Oklahoma Investment Policy Board, tasked with creating an anti-BDS blacklist of "companies" (defined to include organizations and associations). Oklahoma pension funds would be prohibited from investing in blacklisted companies.

Remember

click here for a more in-depth legal analysis of anti-bds legislation

These bills are the result of a campaign to suppress Palestine human rights activism in the U.S. Israel's interest in restricting this activism should not override our constitutional right to advocate for change.

The good news is that your right to engage in boycotts related to Israeli human rights abuses and to advocate for BDS is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. None of the bills and resolutions described here prohibit you from engaging in BDS activities.

Whatever your views on Israel and Palestine, these bills should be of concern because they threaten the rights of everyone in the U.S. to take collective action to address injustice. Moreover, we should all be alarmed that a foreign government, Israel, is lobbying U.S. politicians to restrict our rights.